Around 20km from Port Elizabeth, Ngqura was initially conceived to handle bulk cargo commodities but a section was developed for handling containers, with two berths in phase 1 with a 700,000 teu capacity. Following the failure to attract an anchor tenant after several false starts, the focus has since moved to developing the port as the country’s principal manganese export facility. Neighbouring Port Elizabeth already handles approximately 2m tonnes of manganese annually which is expected to transfer over to Ngqura after 2016 when the current leases at Port Elizabeth run out.
The cost of developing the port exceeded R10bn (US$1.32bn) and according to Transnet National Ports Authority a further R3.2bn will be invested in developing bulk cargo handling facilities as well as a further two berths for phase 2 of the Ngqura container terminal.
Confirming the political motivation for the port, Zuma said “This will end the notion that the Eastern Cape and Ngqura have been ignored.”
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